Upscaling the Mechanical Properties of a Fractured Rock Mass Using the Lattice-Spring-Based Synthetic Rock Mass (LS-SRM) Modeling Approach—Comparison of Discontinuum, Continuum and Empirical Approaches
A numerical characterization of a fractured rock mass and its mechanical behavior using a discontinuum approach was carried out utilizing lattice-spring-based synthetic rock mass (LS-SRM) models. First, LS-SRM models on a laboratory scale were created to reproduce standard rock mechanical tests on T...
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Geosciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/12/9/343 |
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| author | Dominik Gottron Andreas Henk |
| author_facet | Dominik Gottron Andreas Henk |
| author_sort | Dominik Gottron |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A numerical characterization of a fractured rock mass and its mechanical behavior using a discontinuum approach was carried out utilizing lattice-spring-based synthetic rock mass (LS-SRM) models. First, LS-SRM models on a laboratory scale were created to reproduce standard rock mechanical tests on Triassic sandstone samples from a quarry in Germany. Subsequently, the intact rock properties were upscaled to an element volume representative for geotechnical applications, recalibrated and combined with a Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) model. The resulting fractured rock mass properties are compared to predictions from empirical relationships based on rock mass classification schemes and the DFN-Oda-Geomechanics approach. Modeling results reveal a significant reduction in the strength of the fractured rock mass compared to the intact rock, showing a high agreement with empirically calculated values. Results for the deformation modulus reveal a significant reduction induced by the fracture network and a good agreement compared to the results obtained by other approaches. It is shown that the LS-SRM allows analyzing the complex mechanical behavior during failure of rock masses, including crack initiation, propagation and coalescence. The resulting rock mass properties are key parameters for a wide range of geotechnical applications and can be used for large-scale numerical modeling as well. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:54:33Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3263 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:54:33Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-6f2dfe15c40c4dd19c1e25014ff267b92023-11-23T16:27:07ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632022-09-0112934310.3390/geosciences12090343Upscaling the Mechanical Properties of a Fractured Rock Mass Using the Lattice-Spring-Based Synthetic Rock Mass (LS-SRM) Modeling Approach—Comparison of Discontinuum, Continuum and Empirical ApproachesDominik Gottron0Andreas Henk1Engineering Geology, Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, GermanyEngineering Geology, Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, GermanyA numerical characterization of a fractured rock mass and its mechanical behavior using a discontinuum approach was carried out utilizing lattice-spring-based synthetic rock mass (LS-SRM) models. First, LS-SRM models on a laboratory scale were created to reproduce standard rock mechanical tests on Triassic sandstone samples from a quarry in Germany. Subsequently, the intact rock properties were upscaled to an element volume representative for geotechnical applications, recalibrated and combined with a Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) model. The resulting fractured rock mass properties are compared to predictions from empirical relationships based on rock mass classification schemes and the DFN-Oda-Geomechanics approach. Modeling results reveal a significant reduction in the strength of the fractured rock mass compared to the intact rock, showing a high agreement with empirically calculated values. Results for the deformation modulus reveal a significant reduction induced by the fracture network and a good agreement compared to the results obtained by other approaches. It is shown that the LS-SRM allows analyzing the complex mechanical behavior during failure of rock masses, including crack initiation, propagation and coalescence. The resulting rock mass properties are key parameters for a wide range of geotechnical applications and can be used for large-scale numerical modeling as well.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/12/9/343lattice-spring-based synthetic rock mass (LS-SRM) modelingDiscrete Fracture Network (DFN) modelingdeformation modulusrock mass strengthfractured rock mass characterization |
| spellingShingle | Dominik Gottron Andreas Henk Upscaling the Mechanical Properties of a Fractured Rock Mass Using the Lattice-Spring-Based Synthetic Rock Mass (LS-SRM) Modeling Approach—Comparison of Discontinuum, Continuum and Empirical Approaches Geosciences lattice-spring-based synthetic rock mass (LS-SRM) modeling Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) modeling deformation modulus rock mass strength fractured rock mass characterization |
| title | Upscaling the Mechanical Properties of a Fractured Rock Mass Using the Lattice-Spring-Based Synthetic Rock Mass (LS-SRM) Modeling Approach—Comparison of Discontinuum, Continuum and Empirical Approaches |
| title_full | Upscaling the Mechanical Properties of a Fractured Rock Mass Using the Lattice-Spring-Based Synthetic Rock Mass (LS-SRM) Modeling Approach—Comparison of Discontinuum, Continuum and Empirical Approaches |
| title_fullStr | Upscaling the Mechanical Properties of a Fractured Rock Mass Using the Lattice-Spring-Based Synthetic Rock Mass (LS-SRM) Modeling Approach—Comparison of Discontinuum, Continuum and Empirical Approaches |
| title_full_unstemmed | Upscaling the Mechanical Properties of a Fractured Rock Mass Using the Lattice-Spring-Based Synthetic Rock Mass (LS-SRM) Modeling Approach—Comparison of Discontinuum, Continuum and Empirical Approaches |
| title_short | Upscaling the Mechanical Properties of a Fractured Rock Mass Using the Lattice-Spring-Based Synthetic Rock Mass (LS-SRM) Modeling Approach—Comparison of Discontinuum, Continuum and Empirical Approaches |
| title_sort | upscaling the mechanical properties of a fractured rock mass using the lattice spring based synthetic rock mass ls srm modeling approach comparison of discontinuum continuum and empirical approaches |
| topic | lattice-spring-based synthetic rock mass (LS-SRM) modeling Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) modeling deformation modulus rock mass strength fractured rock mass characterization |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/12/9/343 |
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